Gate-fastener.



E. R. CHAMBERS.

GATE FASTENER. APPLICAHON man FEB. 14. 1916. RENEWED JAN. 13. 1911.

' Patented July 24, 1917.

ERNEST R. CHAMBERS, 0F FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO.

GATE-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2 1, 15117.

Continuation of application Serial No. 693,598, filed. April 27, 1912. This application filed February 14:,

1916, Serial No. 78,218.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, Emvns'r R. CHAMBERS, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Farmington, in the county of San Juan and State of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in gate fasteners, and is the same subject-matter that was embodied in a formerly allowed, forfeited and abandoned application which was filed by me on April 27, 1912, allowed September 13, 1912, and identified by Serial No. 693,598.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple, durable and eflicient construction of device of this character which may be easily operated to securely retain a gate in its closed position.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a lever fulcrumed on a gate post and having a yoke or loop pivoted thereto adapted for engagement with the end post of the gate and a still further object resides in providing means for the adjustment of the yoke or loop with respect to the lever.

Still another object of the invention resides in providing a device which is very durable in construction, and one which is extremely inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claim.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application,

Figure 1 is a pore ective view of a gate showing my improve device applied to use,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device, and

Fig. 3 is a section as seen on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In describing my invention, I shall refer to the drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which 1 and 2 indicate gate posts located at opposite sides of a gate-way and forming sub stantially the hinge post and latch post respectively for a gate, said gate comprising Renewed January 13, 1917. Serial No. 142,313.

an end bar 3 and a plurality of horizontal wires & which may be secured to said end bar and post in the usual or any preferred manner. Secured to the lower portion of the post 2 is a wire or other form of loop 5 which is adapted to engage the lower portion of the bar 3, said bar being provided with a notch 6 therein for the purpose of re ceiving the same and in order to securely retain the upper portion of said bar 3 to the post 2, I provide my improved securing means or fastener.

This fastener comprises a lever 7 of sub stantial U-shape, the ends of which are dis posed at right angles to the general trend of the arms thereof, as shown at 8 and pivoted to opposite sides of the post 2 by means of a bolt 9 extending therethrough. The arms of this U-shaped lever member are provided adjacent the free ends thereof with a plurality of openings 10 and a yoke or loop member 11 has the free ends thereof disposed inwardly through a pair of these alining openings, while cotter pins or other forms of keys are disposed through the ends of the yoke member so as to retain the latter in pivotal engagement with the arms of said lever member. It will thus be seen that the bolt 9 forms a fulcrum point for the lever 7 so that when said lever is raised and moved toward the post 1, the yoke 11 will be moved or extended in that direction, while when the lever is lowered or disposed in a direction away from the post 1, as shown in Fig. l, the yoke 11 will be drawn therethrough to correspondingly draw the end bar 3 therewith when said yoke is engaged with the same.

In order to limit the pivotal movement of the yoke in one direction with respect to the lever, said lever is provided, adjacent its pivotal ends, with the lugs or lips 12, which are adapted to receive the arms of said yoke 11 in engagement therewith, when the yoke is disposed to its effective and horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus the yoke and lever are held in alinement with one another when so positioned and said lever is also provided with the additional outwardly curved lugs or the like 18 in the rear of the lugs or lips 12, which are adapted to receive sald yoke when swung in an opposite direction and in its ineffective position. When said yoke 11 is ineffectively disposed against the lugs 13, said yoke and handle member may together hang loosely against the post 2 until such time as it is desired to dispose the same to its effective position; I

In operation, when it is'desired to draw the gate to its closed position, the end bar 3 is first drawn to engage at its lower end with the loop 5, whereupon the lever, with the yoke carried thereon is swung upwardly in a direction toward the postl to allow said yoke to engage over the upper end of said end bar 3. The lever is then drawn back to a horizontal position which will correspond ingly cause the yoke to (llELW upon the end bar 3 thereby drawing the Wires 4%; taut. The lugs on the lever will retain the yoke 11 in a substantially horizontal position thereby allowing the gate to remain in its locked position until such time as the lever is raised manually. Should it be found that any slack has occurred in the wires i forming the gatefthrough constant use thereof the same may be compensated for by theadjustment of the yoke member 11 with respect to the lever 7, this being; true in view of the plurality of openings 10 in the arms of said lever which permits such adjustment.

From the foregoing it Will beseen that l e have provided as simple,inexpensive, and

masses efficient device for carrying out the objects of my invention, and While I have particularly described the elements most Well adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departlng from the spirit or sacrificlng any of the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is A fastener comprising a U-shaped lever adapted to be pivoted to a gate, post a yoke member pivotally connected to the arms of said lever, lugs formed on the arms of the lever adjacent the pivoted ends thereof to limit the'movement of said yoke member in one direction, and additional .lugs formed signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

I ERNEST R. CHAMBERS. Witnesses: I

' Lours P. Vlfoons, W. A, HUNTER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents.

' Washingtonflfi. G. I 

